Works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin: consisting of memoirs of his early Life

.■iottrne #r tTpsn*e,'jamercciytd, a man of credit maflt on liis own security have the constant itosscnnitHi a^A. \ise of an hunciitd pounds. So much in stock, briskly turned by an industrious man, produces great advantages.

Remember this saying, "The good paymaster is lord of another man's purse." He that is known to pay punctually aud exactly to the time he promises, may at any time, and on any occasion, raise all the money his friends can spare. Tl is is sometimes of great use. After industry and frugality. nothing contributes more to the rais.ingofa young mun in the world, than punctuality and justice in all his dealings: therefore never keep borrowed money an hour beyond the time you promised, lest a disappointment shut up your friend's purse for ever.

The most trifling actions that affect a man's credit are to be regarded. The sound of your hammer at five in the morning, or nine at night, heard by a creditor, makes him easy six months longer; but if he sees, you at a billiard table, or hears your voice at a tavern, when you should be at work, he sends for his money the next day; demands it before he can receive it in a lump.

It shews, besides, that you are mindful of what you owe; it make you appear a careful, as well as an honest man, and that still increases your credit.

Beware ofithinking all your own that you possess, and of living accordmgly. It is a mistake that many people who have credit full into.

To prevent this keep an exact account, for some time, both of your expenses and your income. If you take the pains at first to mention particulars, it will have this good effect; you will discover how wonderfully/ •mall trifling expences mount up to large sums, and 'frill discern what might have been, and may for the future be saved, without occasioning any great inconvenience.

In short, the waj to wealth, if you desire it, is. as

Necessary hints to those that ivould be rich.

WRITTEN ANNO 1756.

The use of money is all the. advantage there is if* having money.

For six pounds a year you may have the use. of one hundred pounds, provided you are a man of known prudence and honesty.

He that spends his groat a day idly, spends idly above six pounds a year, which is the price for the use of one hundred poUnds.

He that wastes idly a groat's worth of his time per day, one day with another, wastes the privilege of using one hundred pounds each day.

He that idly loses five shillings worth of time, loses five shillings, and might as prudently throw five shillings into the sea.

He that loses five shillings, not only loses that sum, but all the advantages that might be made by turning it in dealing, which, by the time that a young man becomes old, will amount to a considerable sum of money.

Again: he that sells upon credit, asks a price for what he sells equivalent to the principal and.interest of his money for the time he is to be kei't out of it; the refore, he that buys upon credit, pays interest for wlat.
he buys; and he that pays ready money, rrnghl let Vttat money out to use: so that he that possesses any thing he has bought, pays interest for the use of it.

Yet, in buying goods, it is best to pay really mon*fi because, he that sells. upon crettit, expects to lose five per cent* br bad debts; therefore he charges, on all he at lis upon credit, an advance that shall make up that deficiency.

Those who pay for what they buy upon credit, pay their share of this advance.

He that pays ready money, escapes, or may escape thai charge.

A pennv sav'd is too pence clear Jl pin a day's a groat a vear.

The way to make money plenty in evert} man's pocket.

r At this time, when the generaljcomplaint is that •* money is scarce," it will be an act of kindness to inform the moneyless how they may reinforce their pockets. 1 will acquaint them with the true secret of mopcy.catching—the certain way to fill empty purses—f nd how to keep them always full. Two simple rules, well obsesved, will do the business.

First, let honesty and industry be thy constant companions: and,

Secondly, spend one penny less than thy clear gains.

Then shall thy hide.bound pocket soon begin to thrive, and will never again cry with the empty btllyach; neither will creditors insult thee nor want oppress, ror hunger bite, nor nakedness freeze the. The whole hemisphere will shine brighter. and pleasure spring up in every corner of thy heart. Now, therefore, embrace these rules and be happy. Banish the bleak winds of sonovv from thy mind, and live independent. Then shall thou be a man, and not hide thy face at the approach of the rich, uor suffer the pam of feeling little
When the sons of fortune walk at thy right hand: for Independency, whither with little or much, is good fortune, and placeth thee on even ground with thp proudest of the golden fleece. Oh then, be wise, and let industry walk with thee in the mornmg and attend thee until thou readiest the evening hour for rest. Let honesty be as the breath of thy soul, and never forget to have a.penny, when all thy expences are enumerated and paid: then shalt thou reach the point of happiness, and independence shall be thy shield and buckler, thy helmet and crown; ther shall thy soul walk upright, nor stoop to the silken wretcli because he hath riches, nor pocket an abuse because the hand which oilers it Wears a ring set with diamonds.

» An Economical Project.

CA translation of this Letter appeared in one of the Daily papers of Paris about the year 1784. The following is the original piece, with some Additions and corrections made in it by the Author.]

To the Authors of the Journal.

MESSRS.

You often entertain us with accounts of new discoveries. Permit me tocomtnunicale to the public, through your paper, one that has lately been made by myself and which I conceive may be of great utility.

I was the other evening in a grand company, where the new lamp of Messrs. Quinquet and Lunge was introduced, and much admired for its spl .ndor; but a general enquiry was,made, whether the oi' is consumed,. was not in proportion to the light it afforded, in which case there would be no sa\ing i tlieuse of it. No one present could satisfy us m ilim point, which all agreed Ought to ht known. it being a very desirable thing to Ita.,. n, ifjpossible, tiic ex^euce of lightmg our apart.
mints, when eYery other article of family expence wa» so much augmented.

I was pleased to see this general concern for economy; for I love oeconomy exceedingly.

1 went home, and to bed, three or four hours after midnight, with my head full of the subject. kn accidental sudden noise waked me about sixire the morning* when 1 was surprised to find my room filled with light;. and ] imagined at first, that a number of these lamps bad: been brought into it: but rubbing my eyes, 1 perceived the light came in at my windows. I got up and. looked out to see what might be the occasion of it,: •when.I saw the sun just rising above the horizon, from whence he poured bis rays plentifully into my chamber, my domestic having negligently omitted the preceding evening to close the shuttlers.

I looked at my watch, which goes very well, and found that it was but six o'clock.: aj«l still thinking it something extraordinary that the sun should rise so early, I looked into the almanack; where I found it to be the hour given for his rising on that day. I looked forward too, and found he was to rise stilt earlier every day till towards the end of June; and that at no time in the year he retarded his rising so long as till eight o'clock- Your readers, who with me have never seen tmy Bigp.s of sun shi:ie before noon, and seldom regard the astronomical part of the almanack,.will be as much astonished asl was, when they hear of his rising so early; and especially when I assure them that he givet lis;ht us soon ax he rises. I am convinced of this. I am certain of the fact. One cannot be more cerU'.'n of any fact. I saw it with my own eyes. And having repeated this observation the three following mornings, I found always precisely the same result.

Yet so it happens, that when I speak of this discovery loolhers, I can easily perceive by their countenances) though they forbear expressing it in words, that they do not quite believe me. One, indeed, who is a learned jsatural philosopher, has assured me that I must certain